Coin-freed apparatus for delivering gas.



No. 7|2,9l|. Patented Nov. 4-, I902.

W. COX. 1

COIN FBEED APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING GAS.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

. No. 7|2,9l|. Patented Nov. 4, I902.

COIN FBE ED APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING GAS.

' (Application 8166 Dec. 17. 1901.

(lo Modal.) 3 Shoeis'$hooi 2.

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No. 7|2,9||. Patenfed Nov. 4, I902.

vw. cox. C-OIN FREED APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING GAS.

(Applicatian filed. De 17, 1901.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.'

(No Model.)

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UNTTE Tamas ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 'Oox, OF LONDON, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO GEORGE GLOVER AND COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

COIN- FREED 'APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING GAS.

' PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,91 1, dated November 4, 1902.

I. 7 Application filed December 17, 1901. Serial No. 86,273. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: j

Be'it known that I, NVILLIAM COX, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Battersea, London, England, have invented certain newiand useful Improvements in and Relating to Coin-Freed Apparatusfor Delivering Gas or Like Fluids, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in coin-freed apparatus intended for use inconnection with gas-meters to open and close a .valve controlling the flow of gas through the -meter, whereby 'a definite amount of gas, which amount may be readily varied, is delivered in exchange for a coin inserted in the apparatus.

An important feature of my said invention is the provision of improved means for putting mechanism controlling the opening and out of operative connection with a handle under the control of thegas pnrchaser, the said mechanism being readily adjustedin a simple manner to Vary thequantity of gas deliveredin exchange for a coin in accordance, for example, with variations in thecu-rrent price of the gas; The handle aforesaid is connected through its spindle with a coincarrier and with an arm pivotally supporting a driving-pawl adapted'to engage with a ratch-ebwheel and-yieldingly retained by a spring in either of two positions-i. e., in engagement with the ratchet-Wheel or disengaged therefrom. The said'ratchetwheel is connected to the quantity mechanism of the meter. A-lever having a striking-armprojecting therefrom and pivot-ally mounted-in a suitable position on a fixed part of the frame is moved by the projecting edge of the coin in the coin-carrier when the handle is turned and raises the-striking-arm, sothat the latter is pressed against the driving-pawl, which isthereby moved into engagement with the aforesaid ratchet-wheel. The continued rotation. of the handle then causes the ratchet-wheel to turn through a definiteangle, which is-variable. in accordance withthe position of a second striking-arm arranged-to trip the pawl and draw it out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and thus free the said closing of the gas-admission valve into and wheel again. The said second striking-arm is readily movable onopening the case of the apparatus and can be fixed in different positions to vary the quantity of gas to be delivered in exchange for the coin. In the rotation of the handle the coin does no work after it has put the pawl into engagement with the ratchet-wheel.

a My said invention also comprises otherimprovements hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention can be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice. A

Figure 1 is a plan, partly in section, of a gas-meterv having my improved coin-freed mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a section, partly on the line X X, Fig. 1, the coin mechanism being in elevation. Fig. 3is a section of the coin mechanism on the line XX, Fig. 1. 'Fig. 4 is a section on the line X X, Fig. 2, showing the parts in their normal position before the insertion of a coin; and Fig. .5, a similar section to Fig. e-with the driving ratchet-wheel partly broken away, the parts being shown in the posi;ions which they occupy after the insertion of a coin and after the handle has been turned sufficiently to put ,the pawl in gear with he ratchetwheel.

Like reference ch. .acters indicate corre- 8o spondingparts throughout the drawings.

ct is the casing of the meter, and b an auxiliary casing for the coin mechanism.

0 is an opening in the'casing I), this opening exposing the central part of a plate d, which has in it a slot 6 for the insertion of a coin and which forms part of a frame f, secured to the casing a. 1n the frame f is journaled a spindle g, having an external handle h, whereby it can be readily turned. This spindle also bears a coin-pocket j and a ratchet-wheel 7a, with which engages a retaining-pawl Z, so as to allow thesaid spindle to rotate in one direction only. The coin-pocket j is open at the side thereof next to the plate 5 d to permit the insertion of a coin, a corresponding slot 28 being formed in the ratchetwheel 70. The said coin-pocket is also open at its outer end-i. (2., its end farthest from the spindle g-so as to enable the coin to fall I00 out, as hereinafter described. The spindle 9 also bears an arm in the form of a plate 111, to which is pivoted at n a feed-pawl p. This pawl has an arm formed with two notches q, into one or other of which engages a springpressed projection r, so as to hold the said pawl either in or out of engagement with a ratchet-wheel s, mounted coaxially with the spindle g and connected to the quantity mechanism, as hereinafter described. The pawlp is moved into engagement with the ratchetwheel 8 by means of a striking arm or pin 1, on a lever u, pivoted to the plate (I at o, when the lever u is acted upon by a coin in the coinpocketj, the pin tacting on an extension 20 of the said pawl for this purpose. The pawl 19 is moved out of engagement with the said ratchet-wheel by means of a second striking arm or rod x, which can be secured in one or other of a series of holes y in the plate 61 by means of a nut 2, so that the pawl 19 remains in engagement with the ratchet-wheels during a greater or less portion of each revolution of the spindle g, accordingly as the amount of gas to be supplied per coin increases or diminishes. After acting on the lever to the coin drops out of the coin-pocket j into a money-box as the said pocket approaches its inverted position in the rotation of the spindle g.

In order to insure that after each operation of the mechanism the coin-pocket shall always come to rest with its lateral opening 28 opposite to the slot e, I providea lever 2, pivoted at 'v to the plate (Z and extending into the path of a pin 3 on the ratchet-wheel 70, so as to arrest the motion of the spindle g and coin-pocketj when the said lateral opening of the coin-pocket registers with the slot 6. The coin-pocket and connected parts are released by the next coin inserted, this coin acting on an inclined extension 4 of the lever 2 and raising the said lever out of engagement with the pin 3. The extension 4 also serves to prevent a coin which has failed to dropout of the coin-pocket from actuating the lever u a second time, such a coin coming into engagement with the said extension and preventing the coin-pocket from being again moved into registration with the slot e until the coin has been removed, which can only be done by a person having access to the interior of the casing b. While the coin is stopped by the extension 4 the coin-slot e is closed by the ratchet- Wheel ,6, which fits closely up against the plate d, so that there is no risk of the said extension being raised by a wire or other instrument inserted through the coin-slot. By this means attempted frauds by the use of coins covered with adhesive material can be detected.

The ratchet-wheel s is fixed to a spindle 5, arranged coaxially with the spindle 9, but capable of rotating independently thereof, the motion of the spindle 5 being damped by a spring 6, bearing against the ratchet-wheel 3, so as to prevent it from overrunning or being turned by the spindle g when the feedpawl 19 is out of engagement with the said ratchet-wheel. The spindle 5, which is shown in two detachable parts to facilitate dismounting of the apparatus, bears at its other end a crank-arm 7, to which is secured a crank-pin 8, adapted to slide in an eccentric hole or socket in a nut 9. This nut turns on a screwthreaded spindle 10, which can rotate independently of the spindle 5 and is driven through worm-gearing 11 12 from the rotary arbor 13 of the meter, so as to return the nut 9 to its original position after being displaced by the action of a coin or coins. The nut 9 is provided on its exterior with a circular rack M, which engages with a pinion 15 on a transverse shaft 16, one end of which bears a pointer 17, moving over a dial 18, graduated to show the amount of gas prepaid at any moment, while the other end bears a leverarm 19, which is adapted when the nut 9 is at one end of its travel to bear on an arm 20 on a horizontal rock-shaft 21, passing through a stufiing-box 22 in the bridge of the meter, and thereby shut off the gas by means of a valve 23, pivotally mounted on a second arm 24 on the said rock-shaft. The valve 23 is opened automatically by aspring 25, acting, for example, on the arm 20 when the arm 19 is raised.

26 is the ordinary counting-train of the gas-meter driven from the arbor 13 of the meter.

The operation of my improved'apparatus is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 4, a suitable coin 27 is I inserted into the coin-pocketj, so as to raise the lever 2 and release the spindle g and connected parts. The said spindle is then turned so as to bring the coin into engagement with and turn the lever 10, thus turning the feedpawl 13 about its axis 02 and bringing it into engagement with the ratchet-wheel s,as shown in Fig. 5. the extension to of the pawl p engages with the pin cc, whereupon the said pawl is moved out of engagement with the ratchet wheel s, the coin meanwhile dropping out of the coinpocketj. On further turning the spindle 9 it is brought to rest by the pin 3, as above described. During the time the feed-pawl is in engagement with the ratchet-wheel s the spindle 5 and crank-pin 8 are turned, thus screwing the nut 9 onto the screw-threaded spindle 10, and thereby turning the pinion 15 and arbor16, so as to release the lever 20 and allow the'gas-valve 23 to be opened by the spring 25. On now allowing gas to flow through the meter the screw-threaded spindle 10 is rotated by the meter mechanism so as to return the nut 9 to its original position, Figs. 1 and 2, and thus close the valve 23 when the amount of gas prepaid has been consumed. A limited number of coins can be successively passed into the coin-slot to actu- The spindle g is then turned until IIC ate the machine, this number being depend cut on the length of the circular rack 14 and on the number of teeth in the pinion l5. What Iclaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl. The combination, in prepayment mech anism for fluid-meters, of a rotatable coin pocket, a feed pawl mounted on said coinpocket, means for automatically holding said pawl in either of two positions, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of the coin and 0s: cillating about a stationary axis, a strikingarm on said lever, an adjustably-tixed striking-arm a ratchet-wheel arranged adjacent. to said pawl, and quantity and valve mechanism connected to said ratchet-Wheel, substantially as, and for, the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in prepayment mechanism for fiuid'tneters, of a rotatable coinpocket, a feedpawl mounted on said coinpocket, a ratchet-wheel fixed to said coinpocket, a ratchet-pawl engaging said ratchetwheel, automatic means for yieldingly holding said feed-pawl in either of two positions, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of the coin and oscillating about a stationary axis, a striking-arm on said lever, a second ratchetwheel arranged adjacent to said feed-pawl and coaxially with said coin-pocket, an adjustably-fixed striking-arm, and quantity and valve mechanism connected to said second ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in prepayment mechanism for fluid-meters, of a rotatable coinpocket,a ratchet-wheel connected to the quantity and valve mechanism of the meter,a feedpawl pivotally mounted on said coin-pocket and arranged adjacentto said ratchet-wheel,

an arm on said feed-pawl,a pluralityof notches in said arm, a spring-pressed projection engaging with one or other of the notches in said arm, an extension on said feed-pawl, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of the coin, a striking-arm on said pivoted lever for acting on one side of said extension, and an adjustably-fixed striking-arm for acting on the other side of said extension, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in prepayment mechanism for fluid-meters, of a rotatable coinpocket, a ratchet-wheel fixed to said coinpocket, a retaining pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, a feedpawl mounted on said coin-pocket, automatic means for yieldingly holding said pawl in either of twopositions, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of the coin and oscillating about a stationary axis, a strikingarm on said lever, a second ratchetwheel adjacent to said pawl, an adjustablyfixed striking-arm, a screw-threaded arbor driven by the meter mechanism, a nut fitting onto said arbor, an eccentric hole in said nut, a crank-pin fitting loosely in said eccentric hole and connected to said second ratchetwheel, a circular rack on the exterior of said nut, a pinion engaging said rack, a valve closed by said pinion, and a spring for open ing said valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in prepayment mechanism for fluid-meters, of a casing, a rotatable coin-pocket, lateral and peripheral apertures in said coin-pocket, a projection on said coin-pocket, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of said projection, an extension of said lever arranged inside said casing and in the'path of the coin as'it is inserted into the coin-pocket,a feed-pawl pivotally mounted on said coin-pocket, means for yieldingly holding said pawl in either of two positions, a second pivoted lever oscillating about an axle independent of said coin-pocket, a strikingarm on said second lever for acting on said feed-pawl in one direction, an adjustablyfixed striking-arm for acting on said feedpawl in the other direction, and a ratchetwheel arranged adjacent to said feed-pawl and connected to the quantity and valve mechanism of the meter, substantially as de scribed. 7

6. The combination, in prepayment mechanism for fluid-meters, of a rotatable coinpocket, a feed-pawl mounted on said coinpocket, means for yieldingly holding said pawl in either of two positions, a ratchet- Wheel arranged adjacent to said pawl and connected to the valve mechanism of the meter, coin-operated means independent of the coin-pocket for bringing said pawl into engagement with said ratchet-wheel, and a fixed striking-arm for bringing said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet-teeth, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in prepayment mechanism for fluid-meters, of a rotatable coinpocket, lateral and peripheral apertures in said coin-pocket, a ratchet-wheel-fixed to said coin-pocket, a retaining-pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, a projection fixed to said coinpocket, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of said projection, an extension of said lever arranged in the path of the coin as it is inserted into the coin-pocket, a fixed coin-slot registering with said lateral aperture when said projection abuts against said lever, a feed-pawl pivotally mounted on said coinpocket, means for holding said pawl in either of two positions, a second pivoted lever, a striking-arm on said second lever for acting on said feed-pawl in one direction, an adjustably-fixed striking-arm for acting on said feed-pawl in the other direction, and a second ratchet-wheel arranged adjacent to said feedpawl and connected to the quantity and valve mechanism of the meter, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in prepayment mechanism for fluid-meters, of a rotatable coinpocket, lateral and peripheral apertures in said coin-pocket, a ratchet-wheel fixed to said coin-pocket, a retaining-pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, a projection fixed to said coinpocket, a pivoted lever arranged in the path of said projection, an extension of said lever arranged in the path of the coin as it is inserted into the coin-pocket, a fixed coin-slot registering with said lateral aperture when said projection abuts against said lever, a feed-pawl pivotally mounted on said coinpocket, means for holding said pawl in either of two positions, a second pivoted lever, a striking-arm on second lever for acting on said feed-pawl in one direction, an adjustably-fixed striking-arm for acting on said feed-pawl in the otherdirection, a second ratchet-wheel arranged adjacent to said feedpawl and coaxially with, said coin-pocket and connected to the quantity mechanism of the meter, and a damping-spring bearing against the said second ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in prepayment mechon said feed-pawl, a plurality of notches in said arm, and a spring-pressed projection ongaging one or other of the notches in said arm, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit- DPSSGS.

WILLIAM COX. Witnesses: CONRAD K. FALKENSTEIN, WALTER J. SKERTEN. 

